This Week in Faith 3-12-20
/‘Progressive’ Christianity: Even Shallower Than the Evangelical Faith I Left
In some ways, this is a follow-up to the article I posted last week about the YouTube stars who walked away from Christianity. This is the story of a guy who did the same thing, but when he walked away, he only became more unsettled. So this is not only the story of his journey out of the church, but back into it as well. He also talks about “moralistic, therapeutic deism”, which Pastor Nathan talked about in his sermon a few weeks ago. This should give us hope, even for those we know and love who have walked away from the faith.
Click here to read the article by Ian Harber.
My Same-Sex Attraction Has an Answer
“The purpose of transparency is not to glory in our struggle but to find support in our quest for costly obedience.” “Obedience was never meant as a bargaining chip to force God into blessing us—it was always meant to be the bountiful and delicious fruit of a life in relationship with our Creator and Savior.” These are 2 quotes from this article that also has me looking forward to the author’s new book that I just got. As we have been studying 1 John on Sunday and Wednesday nights, the concept of joyful obedience as evidence of our faith in Jesus has come up a lot. And, as she describes in this article, the walk of those who are same-sex attracted but deny their desires for the sake of following Jesus is the depth of faith Jesus compels all of us to walk with him. I think this is a beautiful picture of a gospel-centered response to those wrestling with same-sex attraction, or any desires that threaten to take the place of our ultimate desire for Jesus.
Click here to read the article by Rachel Gilson.
How to Lead Kids in a Culture of Outrage
I feel like this is a timely article, especially as I went through the ups and downs of what some were calling the most exciting hour of Twitter in a long time. The NBA season was suspended. The presidents speech. The corrections to the president’s speech. The reaction to the president’s speech. Tom Hanks announcing he’s been infected with he virus. Social media is always active and someone is always angry about something. But that doesn’t mean it is a healthy or sustainable way to live. These are some helpful suggestions for helping our kids understand how to be voices of truth, light, and peace in the midst of an outrage culture. And a good reminder that our kids get many of their cues from us.
Click here to read the article by Tim Elmore.
Below is something from Stephanie Atkinson about how to talk to your kids [at whatever age] about the impact of the coronavirus on individuals and in our world right now from a mental health perspective. I think it’s really helpful and I’m grateful to her for writing it.
Talking with Children about the Coronavirus
By Stephanie Atkinson, MS, APC & Certified Academic Life Coach
Our children are hearing about the coronavirus. Friends are joking about it; teachers are making extra efforts to be cautious; radio and tv are mentioning it; we are talking about it amongst ourselves. What they are hearing and how they are responding will be different for each child. A very imaginative seven year old boy came to my office explaining the virus like a gas that will come over the city and kill us all. He is terrified. Another teenage girl in my office is begging her parents to cancel their Spring Break plans because she is afraid.
Here are some general guidelines for talking with your kids.
Talk with them. Make a point to have an age-appropriate conversation.
Ask them what they have heard.
Tell them simple facts about the virus and what is happening.
Give them a plan for your family.
Point them to truth!
THEN do something different. Distraction is good in these times to help break the worry cycle.
For younger kids (3-4) - There are some pretty yucky germs going around right now. These germs may give us fever and a cough. If you start feeling yucky, tell mom or dad or the school nurse. We will give you some medicine and let the doctor know.
For kids (5-above) What have you been hearing about some pretty yucky germs going around right now? JUST LISTEN. These germs cause a sickness called coronavirus. People who have this sickness may have a really high fever and cough a lot. If you start feeling yucky, tell mom or dad or the school nurse. We want to be careful to wash our hands and not drink after each other. If we do get sick, we will take some medicine and talk with a doctor. ASK: are you a little worried or concerned about getting sick? Validate: Yes, it is hard to think about being sick. Mom and Dad do not like being sick either. REMIND: when we are thinking about these things, we know that God loves us and is with us no matter what. God cares about our bodies. God is even bigger than sickness. You can tell Him you are worried and He will hear you. Pray for God to calm our hearts and protect our bodies.
Check in with your older children to hear what they are hearing from others. If you find that your child is not wanting to participate in regular activities, is wanting to talk about the virus non-stop or is not wanting to be away from you or home, call a counselor or someone who can be an outside voice to help encourage and work through this worry.
Lastly, as always, be mindful and cautious with what you are talking about and listening to in front of your children. Little ears pick up on words and tone even when we are unaware.
